A Month of Nonstop Fun and Activity During Camp INNcredible

Annual camp program at The Children’s Inn once again proved to be a summer highlight for residents

Throughout the month of July and into August, the Family Programming team at The Children’s Inn at NIH hosted its annual Camp INNcredible. The camp is a series of events designed to give the children, teens, and young adults staying at The Inn a summer camp experience between medical appointments at the Clinical Center. Programming included a wide variety of activities and events for all ages.

“Camp INNcredible is always one of the highlights of our year,” said Haja Kumalah, The Inn’s Family Programming Recreation Coordinator. “This year was an amazing mix of events that got everyone at The Inn involved. We were able to take a lot of cool off-site field trips and welcome in some wonderful volunteers for events at The Inn. It was a great month and rewarding to see how much the families enjoyed it all.”

The first week of camp was Spirit Week. Families participated in typical summer camp activities such as tie-dying and pajama day and also participated in a lip sync battle and silent disco. Superhero Week followed, including build-your-own lightsabre or tiara, a trip to see Pixar’s Inside Out 2, and a visit from actual superheroes, the Incredible Hulk and Spiderman.

During Safari Week, families traveled to the National Zoo, went to a Washington Mystics game, and enjoyed a safari-themed concert at The Inn. Circus Week brought campers to the Museum of Illusions and Dave and Busters, while a magician came to The Inn to perform before a screening of The Greatest Showman. Finally, Olympic Week was filled with friendly competitions at The Inn and on a field trip to the Pixar Putt Putt course in Washington, DC.

Every day, there was at least one unique and engaging activity open to everyone staying at The Inn. With an average occupancy rate of over 85% this summer, participation was strong, and campers looked forward to what was coming up after each new experience.

Although Camp INNcredible has concluded, anyone interested in volunteering for the ongoing programming activities at The Inn all year long is encouraged to contact Haja at [email protected] or visit The Inn’s volunteer webpage. Join us to make childhood possible.